Prefectural Flower RENGE : The Chinese Milk Vetch The renge was chosen as Gifu’s Prefectural flower by the public in March 1954. This flower represents the idyllic scenery of spring time. Prefectural Tree ICHII : The Yew The ichii was used to make shaku, or ornamental scepters used as offerings to the emperor in ancient times. The name ichii stems from the title of Sho- Ichii, the highest rank bestowed by the emperor to shaku manufacturers. Prefectural Bird RAICHO : The Ptarmigan The raicho inhabits mountains in the Japan Alps at altitudes exceeding 2,400 meters above sea level. Its feathers are brown in summer, turning white in winter. This bird is a nationally protected species. Picture Provided by Yukitoshi Otsuka Prefectural Fish AYU : The Sweetfish The ayu is widely appreciated for its beautiful appearance and sweet taste. This fish is well-known all over the country for its association with ukai, cormorant fishing on the Nagara River. Geography of Gifu Prefecture Situated in the heartland of Japan Gifu is one of Japan’s few landlocked prefectures, situated approximately in the center of the Japanese archipelago. It takes about 1 hour by train from Chubu Centrair International Airport to Gifu Prefecture. Gifu is conveniently close to the three major cities Sapporo of Japan: It takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Tokyo to Nagoya by bullet train (Shinkansen), about 50 minutes from Osaka to Nagoya by Shinkansen, and about 20 minutes from Nagoya to Gifu by local express train. Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Shin-Aomori Akita Takayama Shinjo Gifu Prefecture Morioka Yamagata Niigata Gifu Minokamo Sendai Ogaki Joetsu Tajimi myoko Fukushima Toyama Kanazawa Gifu-Hashima Narita Nagano International Airport Kyoto Hiroshima Tokyo Tokyo International Airport Hakata Chubu Centrair Nagoya Gifu Prefecture Station (Provisional Name) Shin-Osaka International Kansai Airport International Airport Shinkansen Linear Chuo Shinkansen Due to open in 2027 Kagoshima-Chuo Naha History of Gifu Prefecture By the abolition of the han system and its replacement Prefecture), was transferred to Gifu Prefecture in 1876. by the prefecture system (haihan-chiken) in July 1871, Later in 2005, Yamaguchi Village in Nagano Prefecture hans and prefectures, which were until then separately was incorporated into Gifu, resulting in the formation governed, were unified under the same control, and of Gifu Prefecture as it is today. Municipalities in Gifu han was renamed to prefecture. As a result, nine Prefecture merged to form larger districts during prefectures in the Mino District and one in the Hida the Meiji and Showa period. In 1889, there were 948 District (Takayama Prefecture) were established. municipalities, but the figure decreased to 105 in 1961. In November 1871, the whole district of Mino was Gifu Prefecture currently comprises 21 cities, 19 towns unified into one prefecture, Gifu. Takayama, which had and 2 villages, totaling to 42 municipalities (as of July initially joined Chikuma Prefecture (present Nagano 2020). Land Distribution of Land Usage (2018) Total land area: 10,621 square kilometers 2.8% of Japan’s total landmass Water surfaces, Ranked 7th out of 47 prefectures in Japan Rivers and Waterways 2.7% Roads Gifu is situated approximately in the center of the Residential 2.9％ Areas Japanese archipelago, occupying a total land area of 3.9% Others 4.5％ approximately 10,621 square kilometers, or 2.8% of Japan’s total landmass. Of this area, approximately one quarter is made up of highlands, which exceeds Agricultural Lands 5.3％ 1,000 meters above sea level. Gifu has a rich natural environment, with 80.7% of the prefecture covered by woods and forests. The northern and eastern Total Land Area State- parts are mountainous and the Nobi Plain expands owned 10,621㎢ Forests 16.7％ across the southern part, where beautiful rivers flow, converging in the riverside area at sea level. Woodlands and Forests 80.7% Privately Owned Forests 64.0％ Source : Gifu Prefectural Government The Nagara River flowing through the Nobi Plain Climate Average Monthly Temperature/ Precipitation There is a large difference in climate between in Gifu City and Takayama City the Mino and Hida regions There is a large difference in climate between the （℃） （mm） southern and northern regions of Gifu Prefecture. 30 500 The average temperature from 1981 to 2010 in the （Temperature） Gifu City Mino Region in the south including Gifu City 20 400 Takayama City is 15.8 ℃, whereas the Hida Region in the north 10 including Takayama City is 11.0℃ . Most of the Hida 300 Region is covered with heavy snow in winter. 0 Precipitation Temperature 200 （Precipitation） -10 Gifu Takayama 100 -20 -30 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Month Source : Japan Meteorological Agency Note : Average temperature/precipitation figures from 1981 to 2010 Population Proportion of Population by Age（3 Groups） Population : 1,988,931 The population of Gifu has been (Ten thousand people） 220 decreasing since 2005, being 1,988,931 210.0 210.7 202.9 203.2 199.9 198.9 in 2019, a decrease of 10,475 from 200 186.8 the previous year. There are 774,484 180 170.0 households, resulting in an increase 100 7.0 8.6 of 6,740 year on year. Each household (％) 10.9 Elderly 15.3 21.0 28.1 29.7 30.1 Population has on average 2.57 family members （65 years old-） 75 in the 2019 survey, while the figure 67.3 66.6 67.0 was 2.60 in 2018. These statistics 50 68.1 Working Age indicate a trend towards a reduction in 64.5 58.7 57.5 57.4 Population （15-64 years old） household size. 25 Young 25.7 24.8 22.1 Population 16.6 14.5 13.2 12.7 12.6 （0-14 years old） 0 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 2018 2019 Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Gifu Prefectural Government Registered Foreign Residents in Gifu Prefecture (June30, 2019) Foreign residents : 57,606 Composition Number of Country Percentage Difference with Residents the previous The number of registered foreign % year residents in Gifu Prefecture amounts Philippines 13,202 22.9 △ 1.1 to 57,606.Among them, there are Brazil 12,218 21.2 0.1 13,202 Filipinos, 12,218 Brazilians, China 11,833 20.5 △ 1.4 11,833 Chinese, and 8,449 Vietnamese. Vietnam 8,449 14.7 3.1 The combined population of these Korea(ROK) 3,680 6.4 △ 0.8 four nationalities accounts for 79.3% of Indonesia 1,057 1.8 0.2 the total number of registered foreign Nepal 916 1.6 0.2 residents in the prefecture. Peru 869 1.5 △ 0.2 Thailand 712 1.2 0.1 Cambodia 625 1.1 0.0 Myanmar 548 1.0 0.1 Korea(DPRK) 520 0.9 △ 0.1 Pakistan 419 0.7 0.0 USA 372 0.6 0.0 Others 2,186 3.8 △ 0.2 Total 57,606 100.0 Source : Ministry of Justice Economy Item Gifu Japan Year Source 70.1 4,867.3 Gross Prefectural Product (USD billion) (USD billion) / Gross Domestic Product 7.8 545.1 (JPY trillion) (JPY trillion) 2017 1 Primary Industry Proportion 0.9 % 1.2 % Secondary Industry Proportion 33.9 % 26.7 % Tertiary Industry Proportion 65.2 % 72.1 % Number of Companies 98,527 5,340,783 2016 2 Number of Employees 880,780 56,872,826 Sources: 1. Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, and Gifu Prefectural Government 2. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Notes: 1. Gross Prefectural Product shown above is from FY2017（April 2017 - March 2018). 2. Gross Domestic Product in FY2017（April 2017 - March 2018) is shown in "Facts about Gifu Prefecture". Agriculture Major Agricultural and Livestock Products (2018) Large Variety of Products Item Production Volume National A large variety of agricultural products, which Ranking are suited to the natural features of each Rice 107,600 t 26 region, are grown throughout the year in Gifu Chestnut 665 t 4 Prefecture. Rice is cultivated in the plains of "Kaki" Japanese Persimmon 13,900 t 4 southwestern Gifu due to the warm climate Japanese Summer Radish 6,100 t 5 in the region. Vegetables, including summer- Spinach 10,000 t 6 autumn tomatoes, spinach, and natsu daikon Tomato 22,700 t 8 summer radish are produced in the cooler Green Soybean 1,310 t 11 summer climate of the high altitude plateaus in the Chuno, Tono, and Hida Regions. Beef and Beef Cattle 31,300 heads 21 dairy cattle are raised in the mountain areas. Dairy Cattle 5,710 heads 28 Horticultural Potted Plant 17,600,000 pieces 3 Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Fuyugaki Persimmons Cattle raised among the bountiful nature of Gifu Edamame green soybeans Industry Proportion of Shipment Value of Manufactured Shipment Value of Manufactured Goods: Products by Industry (2018) 5,889.7 billion yen (Establishments with 4 or More Employees) With regard to the value of manufactured goods shipments among the industries of Gifu Prefecture, transportation equipment was highest at 1114.8 billion yen (18.9% of the total shipment value), followed by Others Transportation 17.1% Equipment production machinery at 565.4 billion yen (9.6%) . As 18.9% to the number of business places, ceramic, stone and Pulp, Paper and Paper Products clay products (711 business places: 13.0% of the total 3.7％ Iron and Steel Shipment Value of Production number) is the highest in the manufacturing sector, 4.5％ Manufactured Machinery 9.6% followed by fabricated metal products (701: 12.8%), Chemical and Products Allied Products and production machinery (573: 10.4%).